Retsik

I'm in the process of installing new shocks and springs, and ran into a snag on the passenger side front strut.

I have the strut assembly out of the car, the spring is compressed, but the nut is rusted on the top of the strut. I hit it with WD-40 and let it sit, cleaned it - and finally (in frustration) held the tip with vice-grips and tried turning it off with a wrench.

Now the tip is messed up, and I can't get the damn nut loose to finish the job. After all this, I hit it with an impact gun (which in retrospect, I should have tried first)...

Funny thing about all this is that I did the driver-side first, thinking it would be the most difficult...

Anybody have any ideas as to how to get this apart? I don't care about destroying the stock shock...

Here's what I'm facing:

http://www.retsik-software.com/oops.jpg

Thanks in advance,

Scott

mcflyz28

Been there done that , cut the damn thing in two with a hacksaw takes like two minutes, of course I wasted a good hour trying to get it off

Ru2slo_99

Hacksaw or a sawzall. Just make SURE the spring is compressed.

Retsik

Thanks everybody -

TaTommyWS6

That's one scary *** picture...
I would not stick my face in front of that thing (ie, holding camera), with that type of spring compressor....

Tommy

Z'mnypit

iTrader: (58)

I cut the plastic boot, got a pair of vice-grip clamped them on the rod that goes inside the shock on as tight as i could get them, then got an impact wrench it came right off, didnt even mess anything up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Retsik

I notched the nut with my cut off tool, and then hit it with the impact wrench again. Fortunately, it came off!

Thanks again everybody!

Twister

Seems like a common problem. I (my dad also) spent 4 hours with a chisel and hammer trying to turn the nut. We finally got it and the install was smooth sailing. I placed lumps of grease ontop of this nut prior to install to make sure it doesn't rust again.
Jonathan Hays

Retsik

After seeing the rust problem like this, I made sure both sides had a liberal coating of grease before reinstalling them.

Thanks again everybody!